Venezuelan delegation arrives in St. Kitts and Nevis; meets with Prime Minister Harris

On Mar 16, 2017

(Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – A technical team from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela arrived here in St. Kitts and Nevis on, Wednesday, March 15, 2017, to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between both countries.

Wednesday’s visit stemmed from bilateral talks held between St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris and the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, Her Excellency Ms. Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela on 6th March, following Dr. Harris’ participation in the 14th Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP).

Prime Minister Harris was updated then on a promise made by the President Nicolás Maduro administration to donate fifty “petrocasas” houses to the federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The visiting delegation, led by Venezuela’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Caribbean, Raúl Li Causi, is expected to examine the sites that have been identified for the purposes of the “petrocasas” homes.

“We came with a team that will be inspecting and reviewing a couple of sites – four sites actually – and we will determine, with the support and advice of the government where the lands are more affordable to build those housing projects,” Minister Li Causi said during a meeting with Prime Minister Harris at the Yu Lounge Private Terminal.

The Venezuelan minister further noted that his country has been doing petrocasas houses all over the region.

He added, “In Dominica right now we are building after the storm last year and that tragedy and we have been doing the same project all around the region, so for us it’s important for us to be here PM. We also came with a delegation to discuss some finance matters that had been raised in the last ALBA Summit – the 14th ALBA Summit – that we had in our country last week.”

Prime Minister Harris, in turn, conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to President Nicolás Maduro for his support, stating, “We want to express on behalf of the government and people and in particular those poor and needy people who will benefit from this housing initiative our deep thanks to the president of Venezuela, his government and people for their consistent support.”

Dr. Harris continued, “Venezuela has in St. Kitts and Nevis a very strong ally and certainly we intend to reciprocate where we can in terms of advancing too their agenda internationally and otherwise.”

Petrocasas houses are constructed from by-products of Venezuela’s oil refining industry. PVC panels are fitted together on a concrete base then filled with concrete, steel and iron girders to make the petrocasas.